Writers Workshops Application | Community of Writers

Welcome to the Application Page for the Writers Workshops.

The application form appears below.

Admissions are based on submitted manuscripts. To be considered, make sure to submit a digital file with this online form. Before you get started, make sure you review our application guidelines.

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2025 Writers Workshops Application Form

Please complete and submit the form below. Check your inbox to be sure you receive an email notification that your application has been received. If you can’t find it, check your junk mail.

"*" indicates required fields

Contact Information

Please give us all your current contact information.

Prefix

Name*

Please don’t enter your middle name unless you use it commonly. If you prefer to use an initial, please enter it in the Middle Name field.

First Middle Last

Address*

Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Email*

Cell Phone

Day Phone

Photograph

Just for fun, and If it is easy, upload a photo of yourself.

Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 45 MB.

COVID-19 Vaccination Status*

The Community of Writers will do everything in our power to keep our participants and staff safe from COVID-19 this summer. To apply to the Community of Writers workshops, please indicate your vaccination status. The Community of Writers will only consider applications from writers who have been fully vaccinated.
If you are invited to attend, we will require photographic proof of vaccination status. Review our Health Policy.

Will be fully vaccinated and boosted by summer

Other

How did you first hear about the Community of Writers?

Check all that apply.

Word of mouth

Author or Professional on your Teaching Staff

Social Media Ad

Print Advertising (such as Poets & Writers)

Web Advertising

Postcard or Flier

Internet Search

The Writers’ Annex

What caused you to apply THIS YEAR?

Check all that apply.

Word of mouth

Author or Professional on your Teaching Staff

Social Media Ad

Print Advertising (such as Poets & Writers)

Web Advertising

Postcard or Flier

Internet Search

The Writers’ Annex

My own goals

Do you plan to attend more than one writing conference this summer?*

No, i just hope to attend one conference.

Yes, this is my chance to attend more than one conference.

Other

In 300 words or fewer, tell us about your writing life, and how you would benefit from this workshop

Attendance

Please indicate if you have attended in the past, and if so, what year(s) you attended.

Applications: Are You A Returnee?*

This would be my first time

I attended the Writers Workshops

I attended the Poetry Workshop

Year(s) Attended

Please indicate year(s) like this: ’99, ’23. You may also indicate if you are unsure of the exact year(s).

Submissions

Submissions should be uploaded with this online form. If you encounter problems, please mail a copy to the Nevada City address or contact us. All submissions must be received by the deadline.

To which program are you applying?*

Please note that the Nonfiction and Memoir may meet together in workshop.

Fiction

Narrative Nonfiction

Memoir/Personal Narrative

Submission Manuscript Title(s)*

What Kind of Ms. Are You Submitting?

Short Story or Stories

Novel Except or Chapter(s) Choice

Personal Essay or Essays

Memoir Excerpt or Chapter(s)

Narrative Nonfiction Book Excerpt or Chapter(s)

Hybrid Nonfiction/Memoir Excerpt or Chapter(s)

Manuscript Genre*

General Fiction

Historical

Speculative/Sci-Fi

Mystery/Suspense

Young Adult

Narrative Nonfiction

Memoir

Hybrid – Nonfiction/Memoir

Other

Word Count*

Please enter the word count of your manuscript. Word Limit: 5000 words. The word count of the one-page synopsis (for book-length submissions) need not be included in the 5000 word limit.

Attach a Word Document of your submission. A PDF is also acceptable.*

Please name the file as follows:

FICTION:

2025_Lastname_FirstInitial_F_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

Example: 2025_Austen_J_F_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

NONFICTION:

2025_Lastname_FirstInitial_NF_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

Example: 2025_Matthiessen_P_NF_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

MEMOIR:

2025_Lastname_FirstInitial_M_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

Example: 2025_Didion_J_M_App_Ms.doc (or docx)

If submitting more than one story, please combine into one document.

If submitting a novel, please include a one-page plot summary attached as the last page of your document.

Manuscript must be less than 5000 words. (This does not include 1 page synopsis.)

**PLEASE COMBINE YOUR ITEMS INTO ONE ATTACHMENT!**

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 45 MB, Max. files: 1.

Are you applying to another program as well?*

Fiction

Narrative Nonfiction

Memoir/Personal Narrative

Poetry

Special Program

The Building Blocks of Adaptation: From Book to Screen

Indicate if your would like to be enrolled in the Film Adaptation Class if admitted into the Writers Workshops. $250 additional tuition. (Indicating interest doesn’t commit you to taking part.)

Adaptation Class

No thank you

Book Proposal Seminar

Indicate if your would like to be enrolled in the Book Proposal Seminar if admitted into the Writers Workshops. $250 additional tuition. (Indicating interest doesn’t commit you to taking part.)

Book Proposal Seminar

No thank you

Notes

Please tell us any additional information you need us to know that wasn’t asked in this form.

Application Notes

Your Notes Might Include:

-If you have attended before (please indicate the year(s), and name(s) of the staff members who worked with your manuscript). This is important for us to know, so that we don’t assign you with someone you’ve already worked with.

-Special needs or requests.

-Spring traveling schedule and/or address changes.

Financial Aid

Please indicate if you will be requesting Financial Aid. Financial aid is limited and is donated by former participants and friends. Most financial awards range from a few hundred dollars to $1500, though there are a handful of scholarships which include a modest housing allowance. Please do not request aid if you can fund the workshop yourself or can find other funding sources. However, if you do need financial aid, do not hesitate to request it. Although we try to give some kind of aid to each qualifying writer, unfortunately, we are not always able to give as much as requested.

Financial Aid*

Select “No” if you don’t need financial aid to attend.

Financial Aid would help

Cannot attend without financial aid.

Financial Aid Application

To evaluate your need for funds, we ask you for a few pieces of information about your financial situation. We will, of course, keep all of this information confidential. Part of our mission as an organization is to ensure that all who are qualified to attend the workshops can do so. If you need aid to attend, please complete the form below, to provide us with valuable information with which to assign our limited funds.

Adjusted Gross Income

You should be able to find this on your last year’s tax form. If you did not file taxes, simply write, “did not file,” and estimate your income. Please round figures to the nearest dollar.

Adjusted Gross Income

Primary Monthly Household Expenses

We know that costs of living vary greatly depending on where you live and your particular situation. Please round figures to the nearest dollar.

Mortgage or Rent Payment

Indicate household Monthly Mortgage or Rent Payment.

Utilities

Childcare or Eldercare

Travel

We know that travel costs are also a big part of the cost of attending, and we want to consider them as part of your financial aid request. It is okay to estimate. **Please note: This is just airfare or driving costs. Don’t include your housing and food in this figure.**

Anticipated cost of travel

Special Scholarship

If you are applying for one of our special scholarships please use the Financial Aid Notes section below (“Tell Us More”) for your essay or paragraph as required. Limit 500 words.

Special Scholarship Name

Financial Aid Requested

Please indicate the minimum amount of financial aid you think you would need to attend. In other words, if you received any less than this amount, you would not be able to attend. (We hope we could give you more, but our biggest concern is to ensure that our limited financial aid funds can cover the minimum need.)

Please enter a number from 0 to 1500.

Tell Us More

Please tell us more about your financial situation, including any special circumstances. Your paragraph should help us understand your need for financial aid.

Financial Aid Notes

Work Waiver

We offer a few participants $125 – $175 off the cost of their housing in exchange for working during the week of the Writers Workshop.

If interested in more information, indicate it below.

Work Waiver

If invited to attend, we will be in touch about this opportunity.

Work Waiver

No Thanks

Signature

By signing below, I acknowledge that the above information is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

Applicant Signature (Type Name)*

Date*

Mailing Address

If you are unable to upload the digital file of your manuscript and/or if you choose to pay your application fee with a check, use the mailing address below. All submissions, online and mailed, must arrive by the deadline.

MAILING ADDRESS:
Community of Writers – W.W.
PO Box 1416
Nevada City, CA 95959

Pay $40 Application Fee

There are two easy ways to pay your Application Fee:

1) You may mail a check with your contact information to the Nevada City address. Checks should be made out to: Community of Writers. Payment must arrive by the deadline.

2) To pay online, enter your credit card information below. A 3.2% service charge applies.

Payment Method*

Online payments are secure. Once you submit this form, a PayPal window will open. Please log in as usual, and pay through PayPal.

Credit Card

PayPal

Check

Payments: WW Application Fee

Price:

3.2% WW App Service Charge

Price: $0.00

Payments: App Fee Total

Credit Card

Card Details

Cardholder Name

PayPal Users

Once you submit this form, a PayPal window will open. Please log in as usual, and pay through PayPal.

Checking Out

Once you click the “SUBMIT” button, do not navigate back. Because you are uploading your manuscript, the process may take a few minutes. Please be patient. Thanks.

PLEASE NOTE:

We will follow up with a confirmation email as well.

IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL FROM US IMMEDIATELY, PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING ,TO ASSURE RECEIPT OF YOUR APPLICATION:

1) Check your junk mail or promotions tab. Gmail users: Please drag the email to your inbox to train Gmail to deliver our emails to the correct place.

2) If you don’t find an email confirmation, please get in touch, asap.

Thanks so much!

Date

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